A Westland man charged with murder will return to court next month after court officials say he was found competent to stand trial.

Justin Paul, 22, was recently found competent after undergoing an evaluation ordered by a visiting judge in Westland's 18th District Court back in January. Paul was originally scheduled to return to court Thursday morning after the exam, though court officials said the evaluation came in early and held a hearing early.

Court officials said their docket calendar had not yet been updated as to when Paul last was in court.

He's charged with first-degree murder in the death of his mother, 50-year-old Jeannette Paul, whom police found stabbed to death Dec. 20 in the 6100 block of North Walton in Westland. Her son was named as a suspect and his information was passed along to area police agencies.

A Livonia police officer then saw Justin Paul near Joy Road and Donna on the Livonia/Westland border and began to approach him. A struggle between the two took place, resulting in the officer shooting him in the thigh. He fled and was later arrested and taken to the hospital for treatment from the gunshot wound.

Justin Paul will return to court at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, April 12, for a preliminary examination before District Judge Sandra Ference Cicirelli.

He remains locked up in the Wayne County Jail without bond. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Contact David Veselenak at dveselenak@hometownlife.com or 734-678-6728. Follow him on Twitter @davidveselenak.